Wally’s list of accomplishments in science and technology spans half a century; in fact, he is best known for two achievements separated by almost 40 years: In 1968, he built the Caltech electric car and won the Great Transcontinental Electric Car Race against MIT, only to re-appear in the 2006 documentary movie “Who Killed the Electric Car?”
I’ve known Wally for several years, and every time we talk, I feel I’m a better person for having had the opportunity. Primarily a scientist, Wally brings a profound understanding of the impact that technology has on our world in a great number of ways, including ecologically and sociologically.
The focus of the interview here is cold fusion, along with an exploration of the sad and ironic ways in which politics has invaded the realm of science.
I am very grateful to Wally for his help with the project; it’s always fun to chat with this incredible intellect.
When I’m in the television studio next week, I plan to shoot a video promoting 2GreenEnergy’s relationship with Dan Sturges, to facilitate our telling his story as a transportation visionary/futurist.
Let’s start with a tough question: Who says we need to be pro-active in evolving transportation? Don’t industries evolve on their own as R&D makes incremental improvements in adding features or reducing costs?
Put another way, is there anything truly broken about our approach to transportation? Well, it depends on how you define “broken.” (more…)
After fiddling around with the cover design for what seemed like an eternity, I’m finally ready to launch my second book: “Is Renewable Really Doable?” (You may want to click on the link for a description.) The big day is March 15th.
While I find it a bit awkward asking people to buy something from me, I suppose that’s exactly what I’m doing. Please mark your calendar, and, on March 15th, go to Amazon.com and pick up a copy – or two, or twenty-six.
I think you’ll be impressed with the range of people I’ve interviewed here, and how this all coalesces into an extremely fair-minded viewpoint on the energy scene. You’ll find an engaging mixture of talks with folks representing a great variety of disciplines: physics, anthropology, mathematics, economics, law, and venture capital — resulting in a unique, hard-hitting viewpoint on one of the world’s most important challenges.
If you want to see a resume’ that’s “as long as your arm,” you may want to check this out. If you do, you’ll understand why I was so happy that Dr. Pollin agreed to speak with me and convey his sense of the economics that underlies the migration to clean energy.
Among other things, Dr. Pollin serves as Professor of Economics and Co-Director of the Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts-Amherst. He also functions as a consultant to the Energy Department on implementing the Obama Administration’s stimulus program.
I am very grateful to Dr. Pollin for his help with the project, and I know readers will find his insights quite enlightening.
While I’m in the television studio next week, I plan to shoot a video on what may be the single most interesting investment concept in sustainability I’ve come across this year: teak reforestation. Consider a few basics:
Hardwoods, especially teak, can only become more valuable as the world’s population of consumers grows, coupled with heightened restrictions on logging. So along comes a company that says, “OK, buy some trees from me. I’ll plant them, tag them with unique GPS coordinates, care for them for their 20-year lives, and guarantee to replace any that die prematurely. At their maturity, I’ll fell them, process them, and sell the wood for you. You make an attractive rate of return, since your asset is literally growing every day.”
I think of this as akin to investing in precious metals that miraculously expand in volume over time. (more…)
While I’m in the studio next week shooting another round of videos, I plan to highlight 2GreenEnergy’s relationship with Waters Wheel, a company with a bright vision of the future of organic, local-grown farming. The secret sauce here, if there is one, is a clever, extremely inexpensive approach to aeroponics, growing produce in a minimum of space, using a tower (pictured here) in which the root systems receive a carefully maintained balance of air, water, and nutrients. (more…)
Next Wednesday, I’m headed into the local television studio that we use to make our videos, to shoot several short pieces introducing different clean energy technologies and the companies that I believe to be likely winners in the marketplace. One such technology, previously under-represented here at 2GreenEnergy, is OTEC (ocean thermal energy conversion). (more…)
I have two quick rituals that I enjoy with my morning coffee. I know I’ve mentioned Garrison Keillor’s The Writer’s Almanac, which is five minutes extremely well spent. The other is the SAT Question of the Day, which I came across recently when I first registered my daughter to take the test. If you’re like me, and you like little quizzes, you may want to subscribe, using the link above.
According to The Writers Almanac, “On this date in 1927, physicist Werner Heisenberg first described his Uncertainty Principle in a letter. In a nutshell, the Uncertainty Principle states that the more precisely we can determine a particle’s momentum, the less information we have about its position, and vice versa. The principle represents one of the most fundamental differences between quantum mechanics and classical physics.”
Excellent summary. I have nothing but fond respect for Garrison Keillor and his staff of researcher/writers. (more…)
